This blog post about Christmas and New Years is clearly long
overdue, but obviously y’all have figured out by now that this blogging stuff,
not really my cup of tea. But, I promise I am trying. Honestly, I’m more of a
snail blogger (for those of you that don’t know that would be writing by hand
in a journal). Now, back to Christmas and New Years.
I think the holidays are wonderful. I love to spend time
with my family and friends. I love to give and receive presents. I love to be
at Tallowood for Christmas Eve. I love
Christmas music and Christmas trees and Poinsettias. But, these things and
these people do not make Christmas. These things are in no way bad; in fact
they’re all wonderful, but for me they’re often a distraction of the real
celebration of Christmas. Jesus. Christmas is about the fact that God gave us
Jesus. If I were stranded on a desert island on December 25th (let’s
hope that never actually happens though), it would still be Christmas. This
year, although not on a dessert island, I wasn’t home in Houston with my
friends and family, but in spite of that it was still Christmas.
My prayer for my girls and for myself at Christmas was that
we would recognize this beautiful truth. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus
and the most wonderful gift to ever be given, finding joy in Him was what this
Christmas was about. Here, celebrating this gift I prayed that we would all
know that because God gave us Jesus we have the opportunity to be children of
God and a part of His family. So, even though I was not celebrating Christmas
or New Years with my parents and sisters, I was celebrating Christmas with my
sisters in Christ.
That is not to say that I wasn’t sad at times and that I
didn’t miss my family and friends, but not being with them in no way diminished
the fact that God gave me Jesus. And that is a reason to celebrate. This
Christmas and New Years, although very different, were fun and are times to be
treasured. We went shopping, had secret Santa’s,
had a sister sleepover, ate Honduran tamales (frankly, not quite as good as my
family’s Mexican tamales), danced, went to a carnival, watched movies, and made
new friends.
God has given these girls to me, to love, to celebrate, to
inspire, and to ultimately be an example of a Christian. Finding joy and peace
in Christ in the midst of really missing Texas at Christmas was hard, but
through Him and because of His birth we were all reminded of His love for us.
Jesus’ love transcends any country’s boundaries and any language imaginable. Christmas
is about Jesus’ birth, a celebration, a gift, and a joyous occasion! So merry
(late) Christmas and New Years from all of us here in San Pedro Sula, Honduras!
Thanks and gig 'em.
Peace, love, and pursue Jesus.
Kellie
